BACKDATED

[freakedwithjet]

Date: September 12, 2000
Time: 16.00 onwards
Place: All of central London's best boutiques, darling.
Characters Involved: Pansy Parkinson and Adrian Pucey only.
Rating: At least PG-13 for language I should think.

Comments

[the_it_boi]

With one hand wrapped around his waist and a hip cocked, Adrian tapped at his lower lip thoughtfully as he examined a pair of pin-striped trousers before picking up a pair to be tried on. They were made for women, but he could tell just by looking that they would look smashing on him, and what did he care about what gender a piece of cloth was designated for?

He draped the trousers across his arm and nodded his agreement to Pansy's decision to take all three shirts before picking up another with delicate lacing. "This one would look fabulous on you!" He then paused for a moment, realizing it had been years since he had last seen her, and she had changed a bit. "Well, unless this really isn't your style anymore?" He'd hate to think he didn't know what would suit her, what other horrible things could be different if that was so?

He then snorted in reply at Pansy's words, "Oh, I wouldn't dare buy everything London has to offer! Imagine walking around in those rags from that store down the street." He then shuddered for effect and looped his arm through hers so that they could walk together through the store. "But coffee and a cigarette or five sounds good to me. I just so happen to have a full pack with me just for you, darling."

His eyes grew wide at her mention of a present. "A present?! Oh, Pans! What did you get me? I demand that you tell me now, or I shall die from anticipation."

[freakedwithjet]

Pansy had always admired Ady's seemingly careless ease with clothing. He seemed to just find things, random pieces, throw them together and suddenly be the best dressed man in any room. As soon as he suggested that a top would look great on her, she would have snapped it up had it been faux fur. It was nice though - not necessarily something she would have looked twice at; it harked back to the old feminity of ruffles and flowers she had been so fond of at school.

And hence the beauty of shopping with Ady. She might not have looked twice at it but he was a clothing genius. She was going to end up buying two. She just knew it.

She laughed at his words. "Oh, you absolute angel. You know after your departure I became a non-smoker by default but God, I've missed it these last few weeks." Her free hand went to guard her bag. "Oh no, it's a surprise. You aren't getting it out of me until I get a fag out of you!"

Pansy looked down at where her hand rested close to his and pulled a face. "God, that's depressing. Look how much more tanned you are than me." She sighed. "I need a holiday."

[the_it_boi]

"I'd rather be a demon. A devourer of souls and other tasty things." Adrian pulled an ugly face, but couldn't keep it for long. "You stopped smoking? Amazing. I couldn't do it if I tried. And what's happened that's made you want to start up again?"

He grinned when he noticed her guarding her bag. So that's where his present was! He'd get it, hopefully sooner than later. "Well that can be arranged. Let's just buy these and leave."

Adrian glanced down at her hand and then at his own and grinned, "Hard to imagine, isn't it? A tan Slytherin! But that's what I get for partying with Seth - Oh! I said I'd tell you all about it, didn't I? I'll get to that with our coffee. And you certainly do need a vacation, if you needing a cigarette means anything."

The pair of them drew more than a few looks as he steered them towards the register and bought his items. But that was their due, and he didn't mind at all, knowing for a fact that the both of them were gorgeous and rich, and everything that those that watched them wanted to be. Ah, if only the silly Muggles realized what they really were. Their envy would have been more than enough to survive on for weeks.

[freakedwithjet]

"But if you were a demon, you'd have to wear black all the time and look depressing," Pansy commented lightly. She watched the shop assistant carefully as she bagged the clothes and approved; if you paid upper end prices, you got more than your fair share of tissue paper, and Pansy didn't want a stray drop of rain to damage any of the silks.

After paying and collecting her bags, she slipped her arm through Adrien's again and headed for the door. She could smell the faint tinge of tobacco on him, and she inhaled deeply. She hadn't smoked properly in a long time - since Ady left school, as she had said. It had become something they did together and somehow, now he was back, he had reawakened those cravings in her again. Probably he was always so happy and loud, she needed a nicotine rush just to keep up with him.

"Well, you know, I was never really much more than a social smoker, and after you left, there wasn't much time at school was something that merely social. As for what's happened..." She pulled a face. "That's a bloody long story - I think I'll get to that with our coffee too." She glanced at him and grinned. "But the key players are me, Perry Derrick - you remember him? ... And my mother."

She sighed, resolutely not thinking about it until she had to, and wondered at what Adrian had been up to all these years. And who waws Seth?

[the_it_boi]

"...Black...all the time?" He shuddered dramatically. "No, I think not. I refuse!"

As soon as they exited the store he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and a lighter. He offered her one and then lit his own, taking a deep drag off of it before setting off down the street, bags bumping against his side.

Slowly he walked while smoking, enjoying Pansy's company after so many years of separation. They had only known each other a year before he had graduated and disappeared, but she had remained in his thoughts the entire time. She was one of his dearest friends, and he was glad that they could pick up where they left off without any awkwardness.

"Of course I remember Perry!" he said after putting out his cigarette and holding open the door to the cafe for her to walk through. "But how would he, you and your mother end up in even the same room together?"

[freakedwithjet]

"A good move," said Pansy, grinning wickedly. "With your usual colouring, you'd look like a corpse."

As soon as Adrian produced the fags and a lighter, the grin widened, and she pressed an impulsive kiss to his cheek as he offered her one. Taking the lighter, she lit it quickly and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes momentarily as the smoke filled her lungs. "Oh, thank God for you, Ady," she said. "If this is it and you're going to disappear for the rest of my life I would still die happy."

She lapsed into an unusual silence, reaccustoming herself to the flavour of tobacco and remembering clandestine smoking sessions all over Hogwarts castle. A happy sigh: they had been good times.

She rolled her eyes at Adrian as she walked past him into the cafe, resting her cigarette in an ash tray while she took off her jacket and arranged her bags at her feet.

"It really is the most awful story, but it only happened yesterday so you have to be understanding," she said, glancing down the menu and retrieving her cigarette. "Well, Perry and I have been... going out for the last month or so, and my mother surprised us in my flat." She paused and raised her eyebrows significantly. "Surprised. If you know what I mean."

She smiled and, raising the cigarette to her mouth, wondered what Perry would think of this re-discovered hobby. After his performance yesterday, she didn't really feel as though she cared. Her body, her rules.

[the_it_boi]

"I won't disappear even if you wanted me to, darling. You're stuck with me!" He watched the expression of ecstasy on her face and grinned. "Good?"

He wondered at her silence. So many things had changed about her. He wondered what her life had been like while he'd been gone. She hadn't been nearly so willing to go shopping in Muggle neighborhoods years ago, or at least he didn't remember her to be so. And now apparently she was dating Perry. He liked the man, but had never known him all that well beyond Quidditch and however much you were required to learn about a person you saw in the dorms nearly every day. Friendly acquaintances were what they were, never really much else.

He followed her to the table and sat, loud as ever when he exclaimed, "You're mother caught you doing that? I'd laugh if it weren't your mother. You poor darling."